Jack Trammell and Guy Terrell will be promoting and selling their book "The Fourth Branch of Government: We the People” at the Randolph-Macon campus store (304 Henry St, Ashland, VA 23005) as part of the school's Homecoming celebration on Saturday, October 22 from 9am-1pm. You can learn more about their book here: http://fourthbranchofgovernment.com/

"The Fourth Branch of Government: We the People" is at its core an exploration of the effect of globalization and the rise of social media on America’s political process, and how that process might be modified and updated in response. This book explores how the nation can adjust to a world changed by the Internet, and how a “Fourth Branch of Government” could bring the United States back to democracy.

With the explosion of social media and the Internet, practically everyone in America has instant access to the news and a greater ability to follow what is happening anywhere. As a result, it is a culture and a nation that is bombarded with information. However, it is coping poorly with that assault and using an outdated framework for its governance. Many people feel disconnected from the very mechanisms and people who are supposed to represent their interests.

"The Fourth Branch of Government" is about updating the framework of the United States’ democracy. This book outlines a roadmap for how change can be facilitated, as well as a rationale for why it is absolutely necessary and urgent. The only way to update its democracy and make it relevant to the 21st century is to call for a Constitutional Convention. In that forum, the United States can consider changes like eliminating the Electoral College, or implementing e-voting—perhaps even change leading to a broader and more direct participation in its governance, the Fourth Branch of Government.